Tim Deluxe

If you've danced in a club in the past 10 years, chances are you have danced to Tim Deluxe's grooves. Somewhere near the border of house and garage, and always with undeniable handraising-worthy hooks, the Underwater Records producer/artist has come into his own on the strength of floor shakers "Sirens/We All Love Sax", 2002/2003's Latin-spiced "It Just Won't Do," and more recently "Less Talk More Action." KS's HWJ and Terumi sat down with him before his January 24th Mother Hall show in Osaka.

How did you get your start?

Probably when I had a job at a record shop. I had been sort of messing about on decks since I was 13, but not playing out or anything, and then by the time I got to fifteen I actually got a gig at Ministry of Sound, warming up. Basically, it's all about who you know in this industry, I mean like most things, and (Ministry DJ) CJ Mackintosh used to come into the record shop, and I gave him a tape. His girlfriend used to promote Ministry on a Saturday night, and stuff, and so he couldn't do it, so she calls up and says "do you wanna do it?" They probably just wanted to save some money, to be honest, rather than have to pay another DJ, just give me a few hundred pounds, and that was it.

How has the transition from producer to DJing been for you?

It was about '95 that I started really making music.

You started recording then?

Yeah, that was when I first made records. And it was on a label called Cross Section Records, and it was run by a guy called Chris Simmons, and I put the first Tim Deluxe records out on that. And um... and that was it. Then we set up the record label, with these two guys Andrew and Omar, and it was called Ice Cream Records, and then we did Double 99, Rip Groove and that in '97. Actually I pulled out of the label in 2000, just because it was going in a different direction, and it was kind of, to be honest, it was never anything too serious. I was always a house music head, and I was doing the Tim Deluxe stuff with Chris, the cool under-ground stuff, you know. The double 99 stuff was more crossover.

This was as a DJ, or a producer?

As a producer. And that was what was weird, 'cause the music I was making with Ice Cream, I wouldn't play out in clubs, and I wouldn't really DJ that style, but yet I was doing this stuff on Cross Section and DJing out as Tim deluxe, and that's what I wanted to do.

As a DJ, do you have favorite cities or rooms to play for specific reasons, or does it only depend on the crowd response?

I tend to go on the crowd reaction, that's the most important.
You’ve just returned from playing in Tokyo at the well-known club Yellow. Amazing yeah, definitely! I think it... to them guys (label reps), it's like the best gig I've ever done. (laughs)

Oh yeah?

Yeah. Not because I played the best I've ever played — I'm not sure, I don't know — but just the whole thing, the club, the size, the sound system, you know, the way I was feeling. I had friends there, it all just rolled into a big bundle of fun. It was... mad! You know, people were on people's shoulders and stuff, and I've never seen that before, in a club. And then, after finishing, and walking out — and I've never had this happen to me in my life — literally, it felt like the whole club was just trying to get to us, and it was mental, you know. (laughs) It was bizarre. This was about 3 AM, when I finished DJing.

Are there future plans to delve deeper into the Latin genre?

Not at the moment. I'm more interested in a different sound these days.

Mr. Deluxe is currently promoting his latest release, The Little Ginger Club Kid (Underwater). Praised as "happy-go-lucky dancefloor hedonism" by International DJ Magazine, the hook-filled bundle of club treats is destined to please his fans and win new ones.

Text: HWJ Photo: Nick Bundle

STERNE OSAKA

Takkyu Ishino, organizer of mega in-door techno rave WIRE and the brain behind Japanese-techno icons Denki Groove, is coming to Osaka at long last! Westbam, from Germany and a prime mover behind the Berlin Love Parade, is also spinning for the night. The name ‘Takkyu’ which means ‘pingpong’ may sound a bit silly but his music is quite something so don't miss this chance to catch the legend at work in Kansai -- it might be the last you get for another 3 years!

3/6(Sat) 22:00 @ Mother Hall
DOOR: ¥4000, ADV: ¥3500
DJs: Takkyu Ishino, Westbam.

SHINICHI OSAWA presents FEARLESS

If Takkyu Ishino is the king of Japanese techno, Shinichi Owasa is the king of Japanese house. Not only an artist in his own right (known as Mondo Grosso), he's a producer, remixer and DJ too, and one notorious for picking up on new music trends ahead of everyone else. He plays everything from funky house to progressive house, sometimes techno tunes and even a bit of trance. Which is why we love him and why we suggest you get your tickets in advance. Cancel that ticket for the Mianmi Winter Music Conference, Osaka is the place to be this month!

3/13(Sat) 21:00 @ WORLD.
DOOR/ADV: ¥3500 with 1D (500 tickets). MAIN DJ: Shinichi Osawa a.k.a Mondo Grosso. DJs: Toshiyoshi NKJ, Kitaura, Jyotaro.

NINJATUNE LIVE IN JAPAN 04

NinjaTune will come to Osaka in early April 2004, a night that’s sure to satisfy even the most progressive of punters amongst you. For those of you who have been residing on a planet other than Earth for the last decade. NinjaTune are responsible for constructing THE best Triphop, along with its many variants, your ears are ever to likely hear this side of Jupiter. Conceived by Jonathan More and Matt Black (a.k.a Coldcut) after a trip to Japan in 1990, Ninjatune have continuously wiped the floor with thier competition. The night will display journeys ranging from Coldcut’s brainwarping hardness to Hexstatic’s audiovisual experimentalism, way out to Kid Koala’s supreme vinyl scratchadelica, around the back of Bonobo’s smokey beatscapes only to land on solid but extremely unpredictable ground inhabited by the likes of Jason Swinscoe (a.k.a The Cinematic Orchestra) and Dominic Smith. A night of style, not to be missed by any serious astral traveler worth his or her space dust. Don’t forget the anti-gravity dancing boots!

4/3(Sat) 22:00 @ Mother Hall
DOOR: ¥/ADV. ¥6000. LIVE: Coldcut, Hexstatic, Kid Koala, Bonobo, Jason Swinscoe, Dominic Smith.

Club Listings January

4 Thu

INSPIRATION DUB @ NUDIC.House. Weekly event. DJs: Keiji Shimazaki + more. Open 22:00. No cover charge!

5 Fri

REGGAE TOWN @ WORLD. Reggae. GUEST: Cojie (from Mighty Crown), Mori(from Ego-Wrappin'), Shin(from Determinations), Shandi-i. HOST SOUND: Rebel Music Camp. Sound: Chill Drive Disco, Bass Green. LIVE PAINT: Murasaki. Open 21:00. ¥3000.
RH+ @ METRO. Reggae/Hip hop. LIVE: Hab I Scream(Soul Scream) & The Circle. DJs: Suwa, UJ, Zavi feat. Ooishi-Field + more. Open 22:00. ¥2500.
LIGHT @ NUDIC. House. DJs: RDM + more. Open 22:00. ¥2000/1D.
LIFE @ UNDER LOUNGE. House. LIVE: Style feat. Yoko. DJs; Tatsurow Amamiya, Choco, Kenichi Kotani. Open 20:00. ¥2500/1D.

6 Sat

STERNE @ MOTHER HALL. Techno. see the pickup for the details.
REFLEX @ UNDER LOUNGE. Techno. GUEST DJ: John Aqcuaviva. DJs: Tatsurow Amamiya, Choco, Kenichi Kotani. Open 20:00. ¥3000/1D.
SATURDAY CLASSIC GROOVE FOR STYLISH GIRL @ GRAND CAFE. Classic groove. DJs: Groovy work-shop, Jun. Open 20:00. ¥2000/1D
MAKE DUB @ ROCKETS. Dub/ Techno. DJs: Hikaru(from Blasthead) Kinka, DJ Natural, Masumoto Atsuko. Open 23:00. ¥2500/1D (adv.¥2000 /1D &Mix CD, WF ¥2000/ 1D).
SUNSHINE KAKE @ KARMA. All mix. DJs: Bluetreexxx, Addic, Naoto, Hide man, Funky Jr. Open 23:00. ¥2000/ 1D(adv.¥1500/1D).
SMOKE @ NUDIC. House. DJs: Dimitri, Joules, Kenji Shimazaki, Luke, Sachiko, Yoku. Open 22:00. ¥2000/1D.
MONOGRAM @ WORLD. Techno/ House. DJs: Y.Matsuoka, Shimazaki, Kitaura, Mie. Open 21:00. ¥2500/1D (WF ¥2000/1D).
FLARE BIG BANG @ FLARE KOBE.
All mix. Weekly event. DJs: Taka, Sadamatsu, Mari. Open 19:00. Men ¥3000/¥1000 drink tix, Women ¥2000/¥1000 drink tix.
STAFF NIGHT @ SAM&DAVE NAGAHORIBASHI. All the party music. After hours party open till 8 am! Open 21:00. Men ¥2000/2D, Women ¥1000/1D.

7 Sun

U.M.G. @ METRO. House/Techno. Speical DJ: Mike Grant(from Detroit). DJs: Kazuma, Kazuhiro. Open 22:00. ¥2500/1D(adv.¥2000/1D).
FLARE HOUSE COLLECTION @ FLARE KOBE. House. DJs: Taka, Tatsuhiko Fuji. Open 21:00. Men ¥3000/¥1000 drink tix, Women ¥2000/¥1000 drink tix.
SOULFREE @ UNDER LOUNGE. Hip hop. Weekly event. DJs: Minami, Benkei, Kaz001. MC: Moggy. Open 22:00. ¥2500/2D.
ONE LOVE @ GRAND CAFE. Reggae. Weekly event. MUSIC: Iire a.k.a Hiro-to, Takuo. Open 20:00. ¥1000/1D.
FLOWING @ CRUST. House. DJs:
Evi, Okada, Paco, Uno. Open 23:00. ¥2000/1D.

9 Tue

LEGEND @ GRAND CAFE. House/ Classics. Weekly event. DJs: Yoku, Daisuke, Asahara, Gokusaburou. Open 20:00. ¥1000/1D.

12 Fri

SOLSTICE MUSIC presents TWISTED SESSIONS - 6 hour non-stop DJ set by DJ TRISTAN @ MOTHER HALL. Psy trance. DJs: Tristan, Isao. Open 22:00. ¥4000.
JOEY BELTRAM JAPAN TOUR in OSAKA meets QUBICAL @ TRIANGLE. Techno. GUEST DJ: Joey Beltram. DJ: Yoshihiro Kihara. Open 21:00. ¥3000/1D(adv.¥2500/1D).
HYPER HITS DISCO FRESH! @ UNDER LOUNGE. Disco. DJs: *Groovy Workshop., Ban-chan, Miura, Jun, Tsune. Open 20:00. ¥2500/1D.
NUDIC IMPRESSIONS @ NUDIC. House. DJs: Hug, Riki, Sagami.
Open 22:00. ¥2000/1D.
OSAKA SAFARI @ GRAND CAFE. R&B/Hip hop. DJs: George, Getaku, Hondy, Force, Brocken. Open 20:00. ¥2000/1D.
SUPRE FRI @ METRO. Soul/R&B/ Hip hop/Disco. DJs: Mooney a.k.a Atsushi Ootsuki, Sakurai Hajime, Motion. Open 22:00. ¥1500/1D.
STYLUS @ WORLD. House. MAIN DJ: Ageishi. DJs, Ban, Kee-bo. Open 21:00. ¥2000/1D(WF ¥1500/1D).

13 Sat

SHINICHI OSAWA presents FEARLESS @ WORLD. House. See the pickup for the details.
NUDIC DIMENSIONS @ NUDIC. House. DJs: Ange, Kompel, Y.Matsuoka. Open 22:00. ¥2000/1D.
TOP FUEL @ UNDER LOUNGE. Progressive house. DJs: Ko-Kimura, Ko-Matsushima, Hamanaka. Open 20:00. ¥2500/1D.
OUTER SPACE @ CRUST. Techno. DJs: Kenichi Fujimoto, Dre, Mikura + more. Open 23:00. ¥1500/1D.
ROCKDO & ROCK2ROCK special presents ROCK DO ROCK @ ROCKETS. Rock/Pop. ROCKDO DJs: Jin, Yo-1, An-chang. ROCK2ROCK DJs: Kazumoto Nakamura, Kondo, Ekirok, Umeki. Open 23:00. ¥2500/1D(adv.¥1500/1D&Mix CD).
JAMBOREE @ TRIANGLE. Hard house. DJ: Ibi. Open 21:00. ¥2500/1D(WF ¥2000/1D).
BREAKZ @ KARMA. Electro/Drum 'n'bass. DJs: Hiroshi, Tuttle. Open 23:00. ¥2500/1D(adv.¥2000/1D).
WHITE DAY @ SAM&DAVE UMEDA. All the party music. Dress in white and receive a shot or a kiss from the bar staff! Chocolate presents & white russian 400 yen all nite. DJ: Tetsuya. Open 19:00. Men ¥2000/ 2D, Women ¥1000/1D.

14 Sun

TRANCE COMMUNICATION @ FLARE KOBE. Trance. DJs: Taka, Tatsuhiko Fuji. Open 21:00. Men ¥3000/¥1000 drink tix, Women ¥2000/¥1000 drink tix.
NANIWA SOULD TRAIN @ NUDIC. House/Disco. DJs: Popeye, Nabe, Daizo feat. WIl RObinson. Open 20:00. ¥2000/1D.

19 Fri

WEST @ TRIANGLE. Progressive house. DJs: Yashima, Hidekazu, Masaki, Togawa, Shuuz. Open 21:00. ¥2500/1D(WF ¥2000/1D).
WICKED! @ UNDER LOUNGE. House. DJs: RDM, Sugata, mari. Open 20:00. ¥2500/1D.
ESSENTIAL @ WORLD. Hip hop. GUEST DJ: Masterkey, Yukijirushi,
O-ken. REGULARs: Sancon, Yohei, Meg, DJ Frisk. Open 21:00. ¥3000/1D(adv.¥3000/2D).
HARDCORE CHAMPION @ ROCKETS. Hardcore/Gabber.
LIVE: Warst, Psyba, Future Investiga & Koyote + more.
GUEST DJ: DJ Chucky. DJs: Ishi, Tact, Hisaji, Zindow. Open 24:00. ¥2500/1D (adv.¥1500/1D, WF ¥2000/1D).
ROCK'N' ROLL RIDER @ METRO. Rock. GUEST DJs: Koji Ueno(from ex T.M.G.E), Ishikawa. DJs: Mankichi, Nacky. Open 22:00. ¥2000/1D.
GROOVE LINE OSAKA @ SAM& DAVE NAGAHORIBASHI. All the party music. DJs: Takuhiko Fuji, Ryuji. Open 21:00. Men ¥2000/2D, Women ¥1000/1D.

20 Sat

DJ EMERSON "SUCK MY DECK" JAPAN TOUR @ SUMINOE ABCE. Techno. LIVE: Unizon DJ Team. DJs: Emerson, Kihira Naoki, Dora, Kurose Yu. Open TBA. ¥1000/1D.
VERNUL EQUINOX TOUR supported by RING/NYX @ MACAO. Psy trance. SPECIAL GUEST DJ: Pogo(from UK). DJs: Kan, Full Moon Mondo, Keisuke, Mukai ,Melmo, Kaz. Open 23:00. ¥3500.
COOL TO KOOL @ METRO. Future jazz. DJs: Yohei Okino(from Kyoto Jazz Massive), Kenji Sakajiri. Open 22:00. ¥2000.
FUTURSTIC NOW! @ WORLD. Techno. GUEST DJ: Tasaka. DJs: Ippei, Enomoto. Open 21:00. ¥3000/1D, adv.¥2500/1D.
DEEP SOUTH RECORDS presents BRILLIANT-3rd Anniversary Vol.1- @ ROCKETS. Techno. LIVE: Akufen (from Canada). DJs: Jeff Milligan a.k.a Algorithm(from Canada). Kunio Asai + more. Open 23:30. ¥3500/1D (adv.¥3000/1D).
UNDERGROUND ELECTRO SERIES @ CRUST. Electro. DJs: Tuttle, Fulltono feat. MC ShabuShabu + more. Open 23:00. ¥2000/1D(WF ¥1500/1D).
MOVIN' HIGH @ KARMA. Hard house/Techno. DJs: Tetsuji, F.Gotoh. Open 23:00. ¥2500/ 1D(WF ¥2000/1D).
STYLE CHAOS @ TRIANGLE. Hip hop/Abstract. DJs: Kakky, Kiyo, Takuya Mitui. Open 21:00. ¥2500/1D.
NUDIC DIMENSIONS @ NUDIC. House. DJs: Ageishi, Hideto Inaizima, WIl Robinson. Open 22:00. ¥2000/1D.
SEXY TRAX @ UNDER LOUNGE. Hard house. DJs: Ise, Makoto, Uda. Open 20:00. ¥2000/2D.
PIMPS AND HO'S COSTUME PARTY @ SAM&DAVE NAGAHORIBASHI. All the party music. Prize for best costume men and women!! Open 21:00. Men ¥2000/2D,Women ¥1000/1D.

21 Sun

THE BREAKFAST CLUB @ NUDIC. Sunday morning after hours party. DJs: Dave Russell, Ian Handsley, I-Bec. Open 5:00am. ¥1000/1D.
FLARE HOUSE COLLECTION @ FLARE KOBE. House. DJs: Taka, Tatsuhiko Fuji. Open 21:00. Men ¥3000/¥1000 drink tix, Women ¥2000/¥1000 drink tix.

22 Mon

AKUFEN JAPAN TOUR @ METRO. House. LIVE: Akufen(from Canada). DJ: Drummatic. Open 22:00. ¥TBA.

24 Wed

DAVE CLARKE JAPAN TOUR @ METRO. Techno/House/Breakbeats. SPECIAL DJ: Dave Clarke(from UK). DJs: Doi, Tsuen. Open 22:00. ¥TBA.

26 Fri

FEARESS @ UNDER LOUNGE. House DJ: Shinichi Osawa. Open 20:00. ¥3000/1D.
MASQUERADE @ ROCKETS. Techno. DJs: Ooya, Fukimura + more. Open 23:00. ¥2000/1D(WF ¥1500/1D).
LADIES NIGHT @ SAM&DAVE UMEDA. All the party music. A glass of bubby, a red rose and a free drink ticket for all the ladies. Free nail artists, too. DJ: Akira. Open 19:00. Men ¥2000/2D,Women ¥1000/1D(+ a lot more!!).

27 Sat

OSAKA ELECTRIC MUSIC PARTY- FAR EASTERN FELLOWS @ NUDIC. House. DJs: Kakimoto Daisuke, Keiji Shimazaki, Kihira Naoki, Lovegod, Mamezuka. Open 22:00.¥2500/1D.
7th ANNIVERSARY @ SAM&DAVE UMEDA. All the party music. Champaign, CD giveaways to the first 300 customers thru the door. DJs: Akira, Luke, Ta-Low. Open 19:00. Men ¥2000/2D,Women ¥1000/1D
WARP DA DISCO @ UNDER LOUNGE. UK Hard house, Trance. DJs: Shinkawa, Kaptain Krazee, Co-hey. Open 20:00. ¥2500/1D.
GROOVE ROOM WEST(THE FINAL) @ KARMA. Lounge. DJs: Yasuharu Konishi, Masanori Ikeda. Open 22:00. ¥2800/1D(adv.¥2300/1D).
BLACK BEATZ BOX @ TRIANGLE. Drum'n'bass. SPECIAL GUESTs: Sonic&Silver a.k.a Accidental Heroes(from UK). DJs: Toyo, Kenzi feat King-Hisato, Global Spin. MC: Ban&Hae. Open 21:00. ¥3000/1D (adv.¥2500/1D).
MICRO MARCH @ ROCKETS. Techno. GUEST DJ: Karafuto. DJs: Yoshiki, Ko-jax, Ono. Open 23:00. ¥2500/1D(adv.¥2000/1D).
Q.D.Q. @ CRUST. Hip hop/ Electro/ Abstract. DJs: Zig, Diber, Tomohiro, Gyoku + more. Open 2000/1D (adv.¥1500/1D, WF ¥1800/1D).
SUPER SOULD SHOW @ WORLD. Soul/Disco. DJs: Otsuki Atsushi, Hisada, Matsui, Enoki, Show5.
Open 21:00. Men:¥2500/2D, Women: ¥2000/1D.
Mover's Delight @ Becak. DJ: Shockwave & Shine. Open 22:00. ¥1000/1D.

28 Sun

SPOTLIGHT @ METRO. Electro. GUEST LIVE: Rei Harakami, Suppa Micro Pumchopp. LIVE: Yabemilk, Takuya Sugimoto. DJ: Mikirov. Open 18:00. ¥2500/1D(adv.¥2000/1D). www.spotlight-jp.com
TRANCE COMMUNICATION @ FLARE KOBE. Trance. DJs: Taka, Tatsuhiko Fuji. Open 21:00. Men ¥3000/ ¥1000 drink tix, Women ¥2000/ ¥1000 drink tix.

KS club section compiled by Terumi Tsuji & I.nOjaQ